MURFREESBORO – MTSU's offense has shown improvement during spring practice. The same can be said for the Blue Raiders defense.

However, the team's kicking game has been a different story.

"It's a concern," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said about his kickers after the team's second spring scrimmage on Saturday.

"We've got to be more consistent at that position. You just look at how many games come down to a field goal and that tells you how important it is. We haven't been consistent this spring. That's something we have to fix."

Junior Cody Clark and sophomore Canon Rooker are the two players vying for the starting kicking duties this spring. The duo is a combined 1 of 4 in field goal attempts in the team's two scrimmages so far this spring.

"I understand where (Stockstill) is coming from because I first and foremost hold myself accountable," Clark said. "To hear him say (we need to be more consistent), it just makes me want to work harder.

"I kind of feel like it's going to happen for me this year. That's what I'm hoping for."

Clark handled all of the team's field goal and kickoff duties in 2014 after Rooker suffered a sports hernia injury prior to the season that resulted in him missing all 12 of the team's games.

Rooker, who was redshirted last season and is fully recovered now, handled the team's kickoff duties as a freshman in 2013.

"I was eager to come back (this spring) because of the way the season finished out," said Clark, who finished 9 of 15 in field goal attempts last year. "I don't think I started spring really well but I think I've had a better last couple of practices."

The inconsistencies during MTSU's first 12 practices of spring from Clark and Rooker has come on the heels of Clark missing his final four attempts over the last five games last season.

All four were inside 44 yards, including two in the team's season finale at Texas-El Paso on Nov. 29 from 41 and 35 yards away. The Blue Raiders ultimately lost the game 24-21.

"That's one of the things that still sticks in my crawl about the way we finished last season, missing the last four or whatever it was," Stockstill said. "We have to be more consistent is the bottom line."

Clark is 1 of 2 in the spring scrimmages, making his second attempt from 46 yards last Saturday.

Rooker is 0 of 2, missing both from 46 yards.

"(Clark) will make one and then miss a couple in a row," Stockstill explained. "He did make the one (Saturday), which was good to see.

"(Rooker) has had a decent spring but then he shanked the one (Saturday)."

BLUE-WHITE SPRING GAME

Who: Open to the public

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Floyd Stadium

Contact Will Borthick at wborthick@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @willborthick.